Speedometer drive mechanism



4.ro'snrir "SERGE, 0E MoN'rcLArn, NEW JERSEY, Assieivoa To A o SPARK PLUG coin- Patented .lune 30, 1931O ,PATENT OFFICE PANY, 0F FLINTfMICHIGAN, A COMPANY OF'MICHIGAN srEr:noME'rE'nl DRIVE MEcnANrsM Original application led May 16, 1921, Serial No. 470,062. Patent No. 1,670,836, dated May 22, 1928.

' Divided andthis applcationled-Mareh 1, '1928.4 SeraI No. 258,272.

'- The present invention relates to drive mechanism for speedometers such kas are ordinarily used on `motor vehicles.

In such apparratus,;.the indicating member is usually ar! rangedto turn on a vertical or substantially vertical axis, Ywhereas it is generally essential thatthe 'driving sha-ft enter the speedometer casing at an angle to the Vvertical and it is common practice to employ a set of bevel or othergears as they connection between the driving shaft and the rotating memberfrom which ,the indicating member derives its torque. Y f

f Due to inaccuracies in cutting or adjustment,forI towear" consequent upon difficulties oflubrication, thev gears'tend to become noisy which' is a -serious "objection, particularly in high grade cars; 'In accordance with one phase of the present invention, ythe gears are superseded by a flexible coupling, preferably a coupling of specialconstruction which not only runs quietly at all times, but is also in* expensive .to manufacture, easily installed and capable of giving uniform service throughout the life of the instrument. .c y

' The ,inv'ention ris-,furth'er concerned with various other relations lof parts` and with various :details of `construction hereinafter pointedout.k .Y *In the drawings: fr 1- Y :Figure 1 is a central'vertical section showing a speedometermechanism in .which is embodiedy the presentfinventiongfand Figure 2; is a perspective view showing th detailed construction ofthe flexible coupling. Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the main element ofthe frame','preferably of aluminum, which conforms generallyto theinner surfaceof the back 2 of a substantially cup-.shaped casing 3, lsaid frameineluding a forwardly extending cross wall 4 forminga bearing V5; having a vertical axisand also including 'a" downwardly and rearwardly -inclined extension 6 forming a bearing 7 Vfor a mainhollow drive shaft 8. vConnection for driving the latter from a flexible shaft 9'is made preferablyvby means ofra non-circular end portion 10 and socket 11 with which the shafts 8 and 9k arerespectively provided. The casing for the. flexible shaft appears at 12 and is preferably connected with the extension 6 in the manner set forth in my United States Patent No. 1,824,787, December 16, 1919. 1ltwill be understood that the driving connection 9,10 permits relative longitudinal movement of the parts. At its inner end the shaft 8 is enlarged and forms a worm 15 positioned in driving engagement with the worm wheel 16. Suitable gearing is provided between the worm wheel 16 and the shaft 17 whereby the odometer mechanism 18, 19 is driven. 'A collar 20 pressel on the lower end of the shaft 8 serves to retain the latter in its bearing. y

Mounted in the bearing 5 is an upright hol-` low rotor shaft 21, prefrably of soft iron or steel, on the upper end ofy which is secured' preferably by press fitting a rotor Above the rotor and extending downwardly around the same is mounted the speed cup 23 supported in any suitable manner, as upon the spindle 24E. It will be understood that the speed cup is adapted by connection to any suitable indicating device or bythe provision of indicia upon its periphery for giving indications of the extent of deflection of thev cable being in common use in dental machines and the like. Itk is desirable that the connection between the cable and the shafts 8 and 21'be of a type such as permits longitudinal; movement lof the cable axially of the shafts, thereby allowing the cable, by reason of its resiliency, to assume a/truly circular arc and` avoiding excess local stresses. Such kconnections-may be conveniently formed by soldering the wires of the cable together at the-ends and fitting theminto metal tips 29 substantially square in cross section and thereafter indenting the walls of the tips into thek formed ends of the cable by means ofLV av `natelywound inv opposite directions, such` Vsuitable tool, 'as indicated 'at 30.v The innerv v Vsurfaces of theshafts 8 and 21 are, of course, Y

shaped by broaching orV otherwise as shown at 31 to 'receive and conform to the .tips 29, a

slight Clearance beingpreferably provided; In assembling'the cable is first inserted int'o the vshaft 8, the yupper end of the cable is neXt inserted into the bearing 5.l The shalt 2l is then insetedfii above iito'es'aid bearing (in whichprocess-it receives the'tip 'and a collar or sleeve 32, which was initially l threaded Vover the cable, is finally pressed Y upwardly on tothe lowerendof the shaft 2ll to retain the latter iniposition;Y j l v It will be noted, as suggested heretofore, that the cable '26 is' free t'e esslii'nje its netti-rei position, there being ne flexible easing geen as is ini'niversal, ilsfe'in ierible 'shafti'ng of this' nature. So far as I am informed, I am the first te employ fleeting cable, 'einen as the cable 26, es ineens ter transmitting 'driving teleline between two shafts regardless ef' whetherv the 'aXes''are inelin'ed to each' other,

j efi'set freni eaeii other et parallel As alt-ineens 'for lubricating the'wor'ni gearing-15, 1'6' es wen the shaft s, a petle'ef saturated felt orthe l-ilr'e encircling the-shaft ses d between tnejjeesiligjantl tile 'geen re may 8 between the worm 15 'and thecasing and dis- Y lbefeifnglo'yed.l Foad'd-ition'el*lubrication of the shaft-Q8, it inaybedvisable' to enti-ploy a aching 34 offsii-i-la materia-l inserted in `a hole inthe fraliii'; felt washer 35 or the v like is used to seeltile joint between tiieffteine Y eeen nlnet, e'bnllteup `neieible wife eeble "elle effe-elf entre 'tnneiigneet its length'.

3. Af negentien-'eten een 'f f nenne-uy avertie-el nale', inielinee lining snafeene e builenp flexible wnefeeble een elle tine easing. A

'This epplieetien len, entfielen 'et appli--v eetienseelel ne. levoneenled Mey le, 192i,

new -Peteilt Number 1,670,836, Mey 22,1928;V

I'claim: Y i i.A In eeinbiilatien, tive lnelnbeie rotatable ifllliefd positions about aires atan ngleto connecting seid ineinbelfe te erivefftneeile jfrom the other, said liableV 'beingy axially ther-eef betweeli'eeid `nlenebbie and rtio aeeeneinedeteiteel-f Y'te 'the nenn Lneteifally imposed thereon driving torque'. Y Y Y n l 2. In Combination, ya member rotatable 'allut a Sjb-Sftatlly vtiCal aXl, diiving shaft having an axis at an angle Atliert, "and yfa resilient ilbl' ligtud'i# nelly fleeting ,eeilpllnfg eenneeting: envlng shalt teilen@ rotatable gelelnenweie een; pun-g being elinpeiteefeelely bry een driving silcli as to peifn'i'itit 'to assume substantially rotor and: rotor shaft ro't-Y ble by the tfensfniesien :er

ported solely by said shafts at all times and freely movable longitudinally in respect thereto into the regular curve Y naturally Y inrposed thereon by the transmission of torque for drivingthe rotor4 from the main driving v4.- In combination, two rotatable Vmembers inclined to each other and having sfo'oketsvof elygenai e'r'essfseetien, e'flexible wire 'cablec"o`iip*is`ng 4a plurality lofreversely wound layers ofwire 'and having end portions connforming to and longitudinally slidable in the corresponding one of v said sockets, Asaid-*stately ets constituting the Vsole-support for Vsaid cable at all times. 'y l v Y 5l In eoinbination, two retatabIemeinbers ineiined te each ether and; having sockets 'of pygoliai-y 4eress-seetion, l a i'exibiepwie cab-1e Y eelnprising v a 'plurality of reversely. wound layers of wire and having end portions'sepa-l rate frein said wire vlayers, and .crimped thereon, said end Ypetitions eenformingtnthe sockets and b'eingfslidable longitudinally therein andser-vin-g the solesupp'ort for cabl'e to assume afsubstantially regular curve jleo iilipesedup'on it by thetanque-transmitted,-

seidaireiiew l'end portions .beingleresseivv down onto the cable, saidV cable being supported sfol'eiy by 'said bearing surfaces fender ali conditgi'onsof nior'lnal operation. Y i

i?. neenibinfetion with thenoter strut-,ture

Vofa speedometer andthe mainy drivingshaft thereof, a common frame wherei-ng'saidshafts 'are rotatably shu'pp'or'ted an angle vto 'each 'o'tl're-'r material'lyfgre'ater than a lright angle, said shafts-'being provided -internally'w'ith shaft* inleiding sockets, andy fa jitleieible bniiftL-'up wir'eeiraft Having end porti'onsfre'eeived .in said 'v'soekets land 'Iren-rotatable in' respect tn'eietb free' 5to iin'e'v'e -Ifengtbwijeefe :said 4s'fflekets'direing thenoiniel operati-ien erft-ne speedometer ^and being s"upjooi'ftedV solely therljeliyinitierY v'aliconditions 'of liionlialfopei- B. In e speedeinetenja casing, aina veifil'lwling istie 'tl-rite' ene-fit and' seid. toten, sete flexalignment of a laterally flexible coupling memberhaving one end in axially slidable engagement with said driving shaft and the other end in axially slidable engagement with the driven shaft, said ends being formed to Y transmit rotative motion between said memberand said shafts, said member being laterally unsupported intermediate said shafts and being free to assume a curved position under the influence of the 'driving stresses and its lateral flexibility.

10. The combination with driving and driven shafts which are not in axial alignment of a laterally iiexble and resilient wire cable providing a driving connection between said shafts, said cable having driving elements at its ends and said shafts having cooperating driving elements, said elements constituting rotativev driving and axially slidable connections between said cable and saidshafts at each end of said cable, the intermediateportion of said cable being laterally unrestrained and free to assume a curved position as determined bykits resilience and the driving torque. e

l1. The kcombination with two shafts whose axes are inclined to each other, of a driving connection between said shafts comprising a laterally lexible'resilient wire cable having its ends in rota-tive driving engagement respectively with said shafts, the intermediate portion of-said cable being laterally unsupported and unrestrained and maintain ing, by reason of its resilience, a curved posiii tion approximately in a! circular arc.

In testimony whereof Ifaiix my si ature.

- f JOSEPH A BE GE, 

